Shiver Me Timbers

by Chris Hechtl

  Now she wondered if she should consider rewriting the orders to detach one of the ships here. Unfortunately though, she'd been repeatedly warned that a frigate wasn't a match for a pirate ship. Well, no warships, a privateer like the two running away were a different story.

  If she cut orders for one, split their support gear … would it be a problem for one or both of them? Could her people use the replicators in the convoy to help them out? She frowned thoughtfully and then decided to make some calls to the sailors who might know these things better than she did.

  <()>^<()>

  Helen had thought they were done, but apparently, Governor Cairne put a call in to talk to her after the three yahoos as she'd thought to call the pirate intruders had departed.

  “So, ahem, thank you for scaring them off again,” the governor said grudgingly.

  She studied the Tauren's image. “Not a problem, Governor. That's part of what we do.” She knew her people wanted to get ahead of the pirates and run them down. Unfortunately, that actually wasn't what they were here to do. The cruisers were supposed to protect and support her unarmed ships not go pirate hunting and expose them to danger.

  “Ahem, yes well, I've been told that some of my people are interested in having one of your ships stay on full time.”

  “You've been told or you've taken an interest?”

  “A bit of both, okay? This is hard enough getting this out without you interrupting, lady,” he said testily.

  “My apologies. Please continue at your own pace then,” she said diplomatically. She could have bit back that as an admiral her time was valuable and heavily scheduled too but decided to offer him the olive branch.

  “Sorry for blowing up at you like that,” he said in a grudging tone of voice. “Okay, so, I remember something about a base or a picket.”

  “A base would only be built if you were a member of the Federation. You haven't chosen that path. I can pass on that you'd like a formal picket established. That would mean a warship would be posted. You'd have to help to supply the ship though.”

  “So, we trade one oppressor for another?”

  She frowned, wondering what game he was playing. One moment he wanted them to stick around and now he didn't. “No, we have a written agreement. Our ships need supplies, and when in port on liberty, our people will be spending their hard-earned money. The agreement will stipulate that they will obey your laws. If there is a problem, a part of the agreement will have steps for handling it. The same for the amount of supplies the ship needs. They might even ask to forage for supplies in your star system.”

  “But we still pay tribute.”

  “No, you provide fuel and food to our ship or ships. They aren't going to sit here for free. The crew still needs to eat, and ships still need to burn fuel. We can set up a gas giant fuel platform with your permission and supply ourselves with fuel. You'd license that.”

  “I'm not sure I'm following you there.”

  “Well, I can have the relevant material sent to you.” Florence nodded once on her HUD. “My A.I. is doing that now on a side channel. Have someone look for it and be ready to receive it,” she warned.

  “Understood.

  “As I was saying, the ownership and therefore the upkeep of the platform would be up to us. Any surplus fuel and material, we would stockpile or trade or sell to you.”

  “Great, the veiled glove. So, what if we don't want you around anymore?”

  “Then the agreement is terminated and we leave. We take our ships and hardware and pull out.”

  “And then we're exposed to the pirates again.”

  “Your problem, though we will be doing our best to eliminate them elsewhere.”

  “Which will drive them in our direction,” Governor Cairne growled. He tugged on one drooping ear as he scowled.

  “You really have a pessimistic attitude, don't you?” Helen asked in exasperation. She was near the end of her rope.

  He surprised her by smiling briefly. “It goes with cynicism. It's a survival trait.”

  “So is hope. Part of this is to make this sector safe. When our ships are here, you'll be able to call on them for medical support as well as SAR and emergency aid. We'll also set up a solar observatory system and broadcast the solar weather, and of course you'll get news from us as well as the opportunity to trade with other star systems.”

  “Interesting. I'm not sold yet. Now, what is this about ads being placed?”

  “Ads?”

  Florence put a sample ad up on her HUD. She glanced at it but the governor was still speaking.

  “For experienced spacers, EVA techs, welders, whatever. Even offering to train people? And you are recruiting for the navy and other branches.”

  Florence put up a simple statement. “That's normal,” Helen read from the text. “The experienced spacers might be us or another civilian government. If it is us, it is most likely the Spacebees or the yard.” Her eyes flicked to the governor's image.

  His broad nose wrinkled. “Yard?”

  “We have a shipyard. We need experienced hands to repair ships as well as build them there. We're also building facilities in the capital as well as elsewhere.”

  His eyes practically bugged out in surprise. “Are you serious? A yard?”

  “Yes. That first convoy that passed through your star system? They built the yard and facilities. Progress has been slower than the engineers would like; they've had to divert a lot of manpower and resources to the civilian government to fulfill the leasing agreement,” she stated. Florence put up an image of sugar and a pot. She caught the reference right away. “As I understand it we, we meaning the navy,” she paused tapping her chest. He nodded grudgingly. “Paid our basing lease in advance by rebuilding or running long overdue maintenance on every civilian habitat in the star system.”

  “You … are you serious?” he demanded, eyes wide.

  She nodded. “Yes. I understand they had to replace quite a few fusion reactors and life support systems, but things are finally to the point where the civilian government is overseeing a rapid expansion on their own. Their population has nearly doubled in the two years we've been there. And it's expected to double again in another two years. Quite possibly triple now that they no longer have life support restrictions.”

  The governor made a silent whistling face. “You people don't fool around,” he said.

  “No. I can of course provide you with as much information on this as you wish. That includes video and news broadcasts. And you can send delegates to the capital to further negotiate your star system's status and look around. And while there you can of course authorize them to trade for goods and services at your discretion. I understand there are civilian businesses getting started. They were talking about building new shuttles, tugs, and other equipment when we left.”

  He grunted. “I'll have to think about that,” he mumbled.

  “And they can check out the schools, hospitals, and colleges while they are there,” Helen said with a brief twist of her lips. He eyed her sourly. She smiled innocently. “Sorry, I couldn't resist adding that,” she said, eyes crinkling slightly at his expression.

  He snorted again. “I'll bet.”

  “Look, Xiphos is due to pass through your system on patrol shortly. I can leave an authorization voucher for you to send a pair of people back to the capital. The people you designate, no more than four, can hitch a ride on the destroyer to Lebynthos, and then catch another ride the rest of the way. While in Lebynthos they can talk to the State Department or the sector capital through the ansible there,”

  His eyes widened. “You …,” he sputtered. He paused and cleared his throat. “You have an ansible in Lebynthos?” He shook himself. He looked a little dazed, Helen judged. Florence grinned on her HUD.

  Helen nodded. She couldn't help but twist the knife a little. “There is one in the Trajin Cluster and another ansible in the sector capital. We'll be establishing other ansibles in key star systems on a case-by-case basis. E
ventually, everyone who joins the Federation will get one.”

  He grunted.

  “Those convoys that passed through here? One of them had ansibles in it,” she explained patiently.

  He put his hands up. “No more! Please! That's a lot for an old bull to take in all at once!”

  She chuckled. “I know the feeling. And, for the record I'm older than you,” she said. He stared at her. She smiled. “Anti-geriatrics,” she said. He blinked. She chuckled. “Just had to throw that in there. I'll give you a list and brochure.”

  “Thanks,” he said dryly. “You've certainly given me a lot to think about.”

  “Oh, that's coming actually. I just hit a few of the high points. Florence is still sending the information,” Helen replied, looking at the download bar. It was still one quarter complete. “In fact, we can download it to a couple of chips and hand them off if you'd prefer.”

  Governor Cairne cleared his throat and then nodded. “Sure, why not,” he said.

  “All right, I'll have my people do that and arrange the hand off. If you have some free time I'd like to arrange a tour of our ships,” she said.

  He blinked and then nodded. “I think I'd like that,” he murmured.

  <()>^<()>

  Cenarius

  Commander and ship's captain Edwin Drummond was grateful in some small way that the star system was empty of enemy ships. But he couldn't help but feel a little irritated too; he'd wanted Vertigo to get her spurs.

  He was even more grateful though when they received word from the planet that there was no plague. “We don't have much; Brigadoon and Choker just left. We barely have enough to survive the winter,” the native speaker said over the radio, almost pleading with them to spare them more suffering. It was a bit heart-wrenching to hear.

  The captain hit the mute button and looked at his senior staff for confirmation. He didn't have long to wait.

  “Ion trails confirmed two ships, sir. We already picked up the tin can's signature from Asterion IX and X3301. The cruiser might match the one that escaped Xiphos in Tortuga,” CIC reported.

  “Darn!” The TAO said, pounding an arm rest impotently.

  “Next time, Guns,” the captain replied. “Even though our ROE orders preclude engagement of two opponents.”

  “True, sir.”

  “Should we drop a care package to the locals?” the XO asked.

  “What's the point? If we do the pirates will just come along and beat the crap out of them and take it, then beat them for accepting it from us. The only way we can help these people is to take that base out nearby.”

  “True, sir.”

  “Let's wrap up here and then get back to X3301 with the news. This star system is definitely a good candidate for a picket. And they've been damn lucky to not get the plague yet.”

  “Was it luck or careful planning on the part of the pirates?” the XO asked thoughtfully. The captain turned to her. “I'm just thinking, would you want the plague on your door step, sir? And would you want to pollute where you fish? They use the planet to resupply after that run from Tortuga or the reverse from Virgin Holes to Tortuga,” she said.

  The captain nodded slowly. “Understood. Okay, log those thoughts for later and then let's wrap this up. Let the locals know we're not pirates and that we'll be back.”

  “Aye aye, sir.”

  <()>^<()>

  Minox IV

  Director Blacksight read the report again and then set it down. It was his third reading, and it still bothered him.

  His agents on Long Sands had reported something or someone had destroyed the pirate cruiser Seydlitz in orbit over two weeks ago. They had waited to report the news until they were sure whoever had done it had left.

  Now they had reported the movement of a quote, “large number of ships,” that had passed through the star system. No one had attempted to contact the planet so the identity of the intruders were unknown. They had no sensors in the star system to get a look and again had to wait until they'd left before risking a transmission to the ansible.

  He could guess though.

  Given the destruction of Seydlitz, which had reportedly been there as a picket, it didn't bode well for the pirates.

  Chapter 47

  TauG7R368 Petra

  Captain Janice Yu had to admire the native's creativity. Petra was definitely different; it would be one hell of a tourist attraction someday.

  The planet had been terraformed ages ago. It had been named for an ancient Terran city that had been built into sandstone cliffs, most famous for being the site of Indiana Jones 3 as well as other ancient movies. Someone took the idea and ran with it on a colony in the sector. They built underground cities to keep their people safe, which she could appreciate … in theory.

  It apparently worked though. The Xenos didn't get to Petra, or if they did, they didn't notice the people on the planet. Only when the Xenos were gone did they come out and then eventually their descendants decided to carve facades out of the cliff faces.

  They were beginning to become abandoned and forgotten until pirate raids took an upswing. A major prolonged raid made the people hide in the caverns. Eventually, they decided to use them full time.

  An earthquake, quite possibly from a kinetic strike killed thousands and buried one city. Floods occasionally killed people but most of them remained below ground, only coming out to tend to their crops and ranches.

  Her people had visited and had made great strides in explaining the need to vaccinate against the plagues. They were halfway done with the project when something got her attention.

  Apparently, a community of Neoapes living in the mountains regularly traded with the cave dwellers. When they heard about the Federation presence, they sent a representative to negotiate asylum for their entire clan.

  She had at first put the matter aside, but when the ensign assigned to talk to the group got some intelligence he thought was of value, he managed to get his chain of command to listen.

  She was glad the chimp had pushed the issue. He'd been right, and she'd accepted the asylum request. How they were going to sort it all out was a problem her people were still trying to figure out.

  The apes had migrated to the planet centuries ago from the Tauren Confederation, escaping their borders in a ship that they had then sacrificed. They had managed to land in the mountains and preserved some of their tech and knowledge.

  They'd passed on dark stories of internment camps for non-Taurens as well as a government with full Federation technology run amok. Some of their details were sketchy but the rest seemed to fit together and they had enough supporting evidence in the form of news files and videos to make her people give them the benefit of the doubt.

  She was still coming to terms with an entire society with Federation technology including ansibles. The clan's silverback leader, Bao, had shown her a recording from Kai's address centuries ago.

  Bao was old, one of the last of the original people from the Confederation left alive. He had explained that the Confederation had re-invented anti-geriatric treatments ages ago. The others who had come with him had died over the past century from natural causes and from the hard living in the mountains.

  The electronic files they had were arranged in various databases. One had been educational material, another historical, another trade items. But one had been a pieced-together history of the Confederation with an eye towards their crimes and activities.

  Bao's warning that the Taurens in the sector were not to be trusted raised all sorts of questions. She watched the video file with her staff as he explained why. “They have agents everywhere. They will kill anyone who talks about the Confederation and what they do there. They have A.I. and viruses to scrub electronic files. They've been putting ansibles in strategic places all over the sector for centuries,” he said with a shake of his head.

  Janice hit the pause button and grimaced.

  “Okay, who in the room is not happy about the boogeyman with Federation tech commi
tting genocide?” the ship's A.I. asked. “We've confirmed this by the way, we A.I. I mean. We've gone through their electronic records. There is no sign of tampering or false records.”

  Janice frowned thoughtfully, tapping her fingers on the table. She finally realized all eyes were on her so she cleared her throat. “So, if this is to believed, we've got an isolationist Tauren government of two dozen or so star systems, with more than one shipyard and a full navy, that is mostly hostile to other species,” Janice said. “Oh, and they've got ansibles and agents spread all over the sector so they no doubt know we are here. Did I hit all the high points?”

  More than one officer shivered over that idea. She glanced at the other ship captains. None of them looked happy. They didn't dispute what she'd said either.

  “You missed the fact that they've spent the past six or so centuries hoarding or reinventing Fed tech, ma'am,” her TAO Lieutenant Ike Lang stated. “I'm curious about their ships now.”

  “I'm not sure I'd like to tangle with one myself,” her Neocanine XO, Lieutenant Commander Pat Mutt, drawled. “They are as bad as the pirates!”

  Janice shook her head. “No, they are bottled up. The pirates are committing genocide all over the galaxy.”

  Commander Mutt stared at her and then nodded. “Point, Ma'am.”

  “They are probably dressing it up as fair and compassionate. We'll have to figure something out.”

  “Great. So, what do we do, ma'am?” the TAO asked, cocking his head.

  Janice snorted. “We get all the intel we can and confirmation and then pass it on to older and wiser heads to let them sort it out.” Her XO nodded. “What we don't need or want is to go in there half-cocked and piss them off, stirring up a hornet's nest. We definitely don't need a second front.” The XO winced. “Fortunately, we've got diplomats who can take point and get us some intel.”

  “I'm not sure I want to be them.”

  “Me neither to be honest. But that's why they are paid the big bucks.”